France in 1550

ØPopulation probably 15-20 million (the most heavily populates country in Europe)

ØLogically France was the strongest country in Europe in terms of resources, population, food and weapon manufacture

ØUnified in terms of language and culture. France was essentially a nation state sharing a common culture, language and government, the only other states comparable in 1550 were England (much weaker) and Spain and Portugal but Spain was not very united and Portugal was weak.

ØThe French royal family was arguably the richest in Western Europe. This gave them much more power within their country than either the rulers of Britain or Spain- who had to ask their Parliaments. The French parliament called the states general was rarely called.

ØThe King of France from 1547 was Henry II. He was a tough warrior who was fighting a long war against Spain. In 1559 H signed a peace with Spain called the Cateau-Cambresis. This was to be sealed by the marriage of the Spanish King (Phillip II) to the daughter of Henry II – Elizabeth of Valois. This lead to the death of Henry II in a jousting accident. Henry’s children were young and France found itself weakened by this.

Religious Differences

ØFrances’ other weakness stemmed from the growth of Protestantism – which meant that it is no longer a unified nation

ØHenry II had been very ruthless on Protestants and burnt hundreds

Differences between Calvinism

Differences between Calvinism and RC

Differences between Lutheranism and RC

·Lutheran “churches” were a little decorated

·Consubstantiation (remains bread but also becomes Body)

·Lutheranism was basically a top down religion, with a hierarchy

·Calvinists believe in pre-destination unlike the RC Calvinists don’t believe in a Pope

·Calvinists didn’t believe in priests and bishops

·Bread is bread

·Calvinists believed in equality of all member of their faith

·Calvinist meeting places were plain and undecorated

·Calvinism was “bottom up” religion

·Catholic Churches were highly ornate and opulent

·Transubstantiation (bread becomes boys of Jesus)

·Top-down hierarchical

·RC did not believe that the bible was the entire work of God as so, were the works of some saints, popes, church council etc

Religion in France in 1540 onwards

ØLutheranism much little impact in France, although, it was very popular in Germany and Northern Europe. This was because the Kings of France were not sympathetic

ØKing of France had special rights vis-à-vis the Pope which meant that the Pope could not claim any effective power in France this meant Lutheranism had little appeal.

ØHowever, from the 1530s onwards, Calvinism begins to spread in France- appealing especially to the middle class and also minor nobility and in some areas (mainly south) the ordinary people